GUIDELINES FOR WRITING AN ABSTRACT
The abstract is one of the very first parts of an FYP to be read, although it is normally the very last part of the project to be written.
The abstract of an FYP is short, around 100 – 250 words in length and usually includes the following information:
- Background information
- Aim of the study
- Methodology used to carry out the study
- Major results
- Conclusion(s)
- Recommendation(s)
Identify the type of information given in each sentence of the abstract by clicking on your selected choice.
1.Hong Kong is one of the modern fashion centres of the world, and as a result fashion magazines play a significant role in announcing the latest fashions to prospective buyers.
2.This project analysed the marketing techniques and the business environment of the Hong Kong fashion magazine industry and assessed potential buyers' reading behaviour.
3.A reader survey was conducted in four sites and 215 completed surveys were collected.
4.An in-depth interview was conducted with two important Hong Kong magazine publishers, the Cosmopolitan Chinese edition and the Marie Claire Hong Kong edition.
5.The study concludes that whilst competition is keen in the fashion magazine area, there is still potential for new publications.
Verb Tense Usage in an Abstract
The sentences below have been taken from the abstract of several students' FYPs in order to illustrate the tense that is usually used in the various parts of the abstract. It has to be stressed, however, that the tenses are not strictly followed; you may often need to make your own decision about the most appropriate choice of tense.
Hong Kong is one of the modern fashion centres of the world, and as a result fashion magazines play a significant role in announcing the latest fashions to prospective buyers.
There are two versions of the assessment scheme, one applicable to new office building designs, and the other to existing office buildings
Infiltration plays an important role in the ventilation of residential units in Hong Kong.
This project analysed the marketing techniques and the business environment of the Hong Kong fashion magazine industry and assessed potential buyers' reading behaviour.
This study aimed to investigate the potential application of renewable energy sources in buildings in Hong Kong.
A reader survey was conducted in four sites and 215 completed surveys were collected.
An in-depth interview was conducted with two important Hong Kong magazine publishers, the Cosmopolitan Chinese edition and the Marie Claire Hong Kong edition.
Key limitations for local application of this assessment tool were identified, ...
(No specific results were included in the sample abstract about Hong Kong Fashion Magazines)
The profiles of temperature and relative humidity in bus cabins were found to be influenced by the number of passengers and the operation mode of the air-conditioning systems.
The study concludes that whilst competition is keen in the fashion magazine area, there is still potential for new publications.
The estimates are not accurate enough for reliable estimation of sensor biases as sensitivity and accuracy of the estimates are not high enough.
The study concludes that whilst competition is keen in the fashion magazine area, there is still potential for new publications.
... further development in studies of contribution from both lighting and daylighting design is recommended.
The study highlights energy savings in a VAV system that could be achieved if the control parameters are carefully controlled.
Read the following student abstract. Identify the tense of the highlighted verbs and indicate if the active or passive voice is used.
Abstract
The population density of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) is one of the highest in the world, at about 6910 people/km2 (Census and Statistics Department, HKSAR 2024). Most Hong Kong residential buildings are high-rise and within dense urban environments. Around 62% of the population live in the public residential buildings. In these housing conditions, natural ventilation is usually used to provide acceptable indoor air quality and thermal comfort environment for the occupants. In this project, the natural ventilation of public housing was studied . The Hong Kong Building Regulations, which have impact on the building design and natural ventilation were reviewed and the essential parameters were also investigated to form a ventilation model. A methodology for validating the ventilation performance was then established. Full-scale measurement was used to find out the ventilation rate and air velocity in two apartments in Tin Shui Wai and Kwai Hing. By using the measurements and a mathematical model with meteorological data, the annual ventilation performance of the apartments was evaluated . When compared to ASHRAE and CIBSE standards, the indoor environmental quality could be assessed. A computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation was then used to examine the ventilation performance of the Kwan Hing apartment. The result showed that most of the time, the two apartments could satisfy the ventilation requirements recommended by ASHRAE and CIBSE. It is recommended that consideration in the design of cross ventilation could be adopted in the Building Regulation to enhance the ventilation performance in apartments. Building Regulations could also be used in order to provide greater flexibility for architects to design the building, and to provide an appropriate living environment to the occupants.
Try GenAI. Ask PolyU or other GenAI tools for advice about your Abstract. Once you have your draft Abstract, GenAI tools can help you refine and polish it to ensure it is clear, concise, and effectively communicates the essence of your project. Remember, don't just accept the GenAI suggestion. Be critical.